Most Americans trace "separation of church and state" to Thomas Jefferson. The real origin is 150 years earlier — a devout Puritan named Roger Williams who argued from scripture that the church needed protection from the state, not the other way around.
Filmmaker Andrew Linn joins Doug Stuart to discuss his documentary Church and State: Roger Williams and the Founding of Freedom of Religion. They cover:
- Why the Puritans fled religious persecution and then replicated it in Massachusetts
- Williams's two-table reading of the Ten Commandments and what it limits government from enforcing
- His "garden and wilderness" metaphor: how state-church fusion corrupts the church
- Why religious liberty is a Christian idea — and why Christians should be its loudest defenders
- What Christian nationalism gets wrong, and what Williams already said about it
Come meet fellow Christian libertarians, sharpen your thinking, and be part of a growing movement rooted in faith and freedom at the Christians for Liberty Conference.
Lunch is included in the price of the ticket. We will send out a form ahead of the conference requesting dietary preferences and restrictions.
Learn more here.What is The Libertarian Christian Podcast?
Join the Libertarian Christian Institute as each week they explore, debate, and analyze the issues that are directly relevant to the intersection of Christianity and liberty. Always thoughtful, frequently controversial, and never boring (trust us), it is our hope and prayer that The Libertarian Christian Podcast serve as a valuable resource to the Church for years to come.
If you'd like to reach out to us and ask a question or submit some feedback, you can reach us at podcast@libertarianchristians.com, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, and of course, our website, libertarianchristians.com.